The Path to Justice
by The.Shadow.Night
Summary: Where there is an end, there is always a beginning. They've rebelled, destroyed, and saved. But how did the Rebel Justice team begin? Prequel to Rebel Justice.
1. Speedy

**The Path to Justice**

**Speedy**

My hat slammed against the floor as I turned away. How could they do this to me! I thought he was reliable. I thought he cared. I peeked through the closing door and saw him staring after me. But he did nothing. He never did anything.

I burst out of the Hall of Justice into a flurry or reporters and fans. And I stormed through them all. A path opened in front of me, and everyone grew silent as I passed. They sensed that all was not right in the world.

I went directly home to pack my things. As I prepared to leave Ollie's mansion, he showed up to stop me.

"Roy," he started.

"No. You've dug this hole yourself, and I'm not going to be caught in it any longer. I trusted you. You said we'd become full members of the Justice Lords! And you couldn't even stand up to Batman for me. You treat me like a child, and I'm tired of it. Goodbye, Ollie."

And I walked out the door. Luckily, I had kept a side bank account with my allowance that Ollie knew nothing about. It was under a fake name, and I had all the identification I needed to go with that name. There was no way that anyone, even Batman, could track me.

So, I decided to try doing the hero thing alone. I couldn't wear the Speedy costume, that was a dead give away, but I didn't know who else I could be. I started going out at night, dressed in tight black clothing with my domino mask. I stopped bank robberies, muggings, drug deals, but I had no identity, no direction.

I thought traveling the world would help, so I went to Africa, helping feed poor children. I kept track of America, though. I heard about Luthor's presidential campaign. How he was elected. How the Flash was killed.

I hopped back over the pond, wanting to help and comfort my little brother. But nothing was the same.

The Lords had taken over everything. The one newsflash I had missed seemed to be the worst. Superman had killed the president and declared martial law.

Everyone moved with an air of urgency. They were scared. Some tried to rebel against the new laws, but they were made examples of or disappeared without a trace.

I traveled the country, trying to find someone, anyone, that would be willing to rebel that the Lords hadn't found already.

Instead, I found the Base.

It was an old underground Army base, which had sat vacant for years. I started living there, setting up new equipment, cleaning out the cobwebs, finding a purpose. I learned that there were individuals wanting to rebel, but there was no order, no communication. I learned the Lords were pressuring Wally to become the Flash. I learned about what they did to the villains.

And I knew that I had to do something. I became the counterpart to the Justice Lords, to my mentor.

I became Red Arrow.

* * *

**So, I'm working on a slightly different writing style with this one. I'm not sure how it's gonna go, so let me know what you think.**

**-Shadow**


	2. Kid Flash

**The Path to Justice**

**Kid Flash**

Talk about a shot heard around the world.

The Flash's execution was a widely publicized event. Luthor claimed he had committed treason, and everyone just went with it. Then the Lords were without a Flash, and I was alone.

I mourned for several weeks. Uncle Barry was dead and gone. Iris wasn't the same without him. The Lord's killed Luthor in cold blood. Then they wanted me to take his place.

But I couldn't. I was never as fast as the Flash. I was never as good at crime fighting. I was a reckless little kid. Robin, my only friend now that Speedy was gone, tried to comfort me. He had gone through a lot of pain in his life as well, but he had no clue.

The Flash had been murdered by his own country. I had lost the closest thing I had to a father. I had lost my mentor.

The Lord's took over, and I did nothing. They caused pain and despair to families across the world, and I did nothing. There was nothing left for me in the world. And I quit. I couldn't be Kid Flash anymore, I couldn't be the Flash. I was no one.

I had been staying at Iris' apartment since Barry's death. I was heading home one day when I saw her in an alleyway, surrounded by men. Where were the Justice Lord's now?

I glanced back and forth on the street, then ran at the men. I fought them all, taking them down, protecting my Aunt. And it felt good. One of the men pulled out a gun and pointed it at Iris. I froze.

"Stop right there kid, or I'll shoot the girl."

Iris pressed against the filthy brick wall, attempting to get away from him. The world froze. I started vibrating, making the world shift into slow motion. I saw a bug flying lazily through the air. I saw the man's hand shiver slightly in the cold. And somehow, I connected.

I burst forward with speed I had never had before, knocking the gun aside and pulling Iris away from the man before he had time to half-blink. He looked at me, stunned at what had just happened. In a burst of movement, I moved Iris to the end of the alley and knocked the man out. Everything grew silent.

How had that happened? I was moving fast, maybe even faster than the Flash. I had never been able to do that before, but somehow, I knew I could do it again. I felt a vortex in me, a reservoir of power. It called to me, added to me, made me different.

I started vibrating faster and faster, embracing this power. I felt the world start to fall away from me, and it was great. A sharp clatter sounded as a can of mace dropped from Iris' bag as she ran off. And then it hit me.

The power was trying to take me into it, make me part of it. I couldn't let that happen. The world needed me. I knew I could never replace Flash, but I could feel him smiling down on me, happy with what I had accomplished. I fought back and pushed the power inwards.

I crouched on the pavement, exhausted. The can of mace rolled into the dark shadows of the alley. I reached for it, but another hand picked it up.

"Nice work, Speedy," a voice said, and the can was tossed back to me.

"I'm not Speedy. He was a friend of mine once, but he's gone."

"Who says he's gone?"

A figure strode out of the shadows and into the light. He was wearing skinny jeans and a baggy hoodie. His red hair shone slightly in the night.

"Who do you think you are?" I asked, somewhat unnerved by the man.

"Hi, KF. I'm Roy Harper, previously known as Speedy. And I'm here to help my little brother."

I stood there, shocked. Since Speedy had disappeared a few months previously, my life had gone downhill, fast. I tried to speak, but couldn't force the words out. Instead, I fell into his arms, sobbing.

"This world is bad, Wally. We've got to do something. We've got to save it."

I nodded. I needed to help fix things. It was what Barry would want.

"So, where to now?" I managed to sniffle out.

"We're going to this Base I set up. I'm sure that we can fix things if we work together."

"Ready to go, Speedy?"

"Actually, I changed my name. It seemed right after I left the Lords. Call me Red Arrow."

"Nice. Just like Green Arrow only redder."

"Hey," Red Arrow laughed, lightly punching him in the arm. "Don't diss the name."

"Does that mean I need a new name too?"

"It's really up to you."

I thought about that. He was right, it just didn't feel right to be called Kid Flash or even Flash if I was rebelling against the Lords. I was a new person, I needed a new name, a new identity.

I felt the power inside calling me, whispering secrets and giving me guidance.

"Ready to go, Wally?" he asked.

"Yeah. And I think Lightspeed would be more appropriate."

* * *

**And another one is out! If it isn't apparent, no one knows the secret identities of anyone else. At least, until they drop out of the Justice Lords. Enjoy!**

**-Shadow**


	3. Cheshire

**The Path to Justice**

**Cheshire**

I crept across the silent rooftop, grin pasted over my face. I hated stealing, but there was no other way. After the Lords had taken over, my family was loosing it all. My parent's martial arts studio was shut down because it was deemed too violent. We had to hide the several weapons that we had at our house because they would be taken away if we weren't careful. We could have given them up, of course, but Father thought that the weapons were his God given right and refused.

So, here I was, standing on a rooftop, ridiculous mask on to disguise my features. My father stood beside me, a white mask on his face. We crouched down and made some last minute plans.

"All right, you've got what you need?" he whispered.

I nodded. "Good. Now, we're just going to take what we need. A few loaves of bread, maybe some meat. Anything we'll need for the next week or so. Just until I can find a new job."

He pulled out a grapple gun and created a zip line to the other building. We slid down it, and entered the grocery store. Father pulled out two gns and pointed them at the shoppers.

"Everyone down, now! This is a hold up!"

I pulled out a large tote bag and proceeded to fill it while he kept the civilians at bay. I had just finished filling it when a loud alarm started ringing throughout the building. One of the store employees had pulled the alarm. Father motioned for us to quickly leave, and we ran. We ran as if the Lords themselves were on our tails.

We stopped off at an abandoned building to switch clothes and move the groceries into less conspicuous plastic bags. When we got home, the robbery was splattered all over the news.

Artemis and Mom sat in front of the TV, absorbed in what had happened.

"Today, two masked robbers held up this Gotham grocery store. They managed to escape with over a hundred dollars worth of food. I'm here with Police Commissioner Gordon for more details," the reporter said.

The camera turned to the Commissioner. "The identities of the masked figures are currently unknown, but we're sure with the help of the Batman we will find them."

The TV flipped off. I started unpacking the food in the kitchen and heard a slap echo throughout the house.

"How could you!" Mom yelled. "We're having a hard enough time as it is, and you decide to plaster your face on Gotham's most wanted! We can't afford to loose you and Jade! We just can't!"

She fell sobbing into Father's arms, and he held her close. "I would rather go to jail then watch my family starve."

Artemis sat in the floor, watching them, while checking over her arrows. I finished in the kitchen and sat next to her.

"What's going to happen?" she asked.

"Father's going to find a job. This whole thing will blow over, and life will go back to normal," I lied. Things would never blow over.

That night, we all went to bed with full stomachs. But, father couldn't find a job. No one was hiring. We grew thinner, and things around the house grew more strained. We were just waiting for something to snap.

One day, he came home and announced he had found a job. Everyone rejoiced, but I could tell that wasn't the case. I confronted him later that day, and he told me the truth.

"No one's hiring. There's so many people out of work now, there's just no jobs available. The Lord's have stopped looking for us, maybe we can try taking what we need to survive."

"No. You promised Mom you wouldn't."

"But you never did. We can go out during the day, plan these things out, then take what we need and come home with food. I can't watch them starve any longer."

I thought it over. "Fine, but only what we need."

The next few weeks passed by in a rush. Father and I would plan heists, then grab what we needed. We managed to avoid getting caught on camera, and we kept Mom away from the news channels, so, we thought we fine.

And it was exciting. The rush that you could get when breaking into a store, even if it was just for groceries, was unparalleled by anything else she had ever done.

But, like all good things, it had to come to an end.

Father began getting more ambitious. He decided he needed ammunition, so he stole some from the police headquarters. We were caught on camera that time. He needed money, so we robbed a bank. They had to shoot someone that time.

It turned into a downward spiral. The Lords had renewed interest in them. Everywhere they went, they had less and less time to escape. They took things they didn't really need. And then Mom found out.

She kicked Father out. He moved into the abandoned building. And he started plotting. He wanted to do a hostile takeover of the world, bring down the Justice Lords, and restore order. I agreed that things needed to change, but he wasn't the one to do it. So, I said no. I quit. I refused to help him anymore.

And he pulled away from me. He left me at home more often during the day. Then Artemis started disappearing like I used to. She never checked her arrows around the house, and she'd come back with Father at the end of the day. But, from what I could tell, he hadn't told her all he had wished to accomplish.

Then, one weekend, they left. Mom and I waited. They didn't return. Soon, it was all over the news. Father had attempted to steal plans from Wayne Tech. He was caught and sent to jail to await sentencing. Artemis wasn't mentioned, but Green Arrow suddenly had a new protégé.

We waited for more information, but it never came. Mom tried to find a job, but she couldn't. We started running out of food. I drank massive amounts of water to try and keep the hunger pains at bay. I said I was eating and gave most of the food to her. But soon we were left with nothing.

I returned to the abandoned building and retrieved my costume so that I could steal some food. I couldn't let Mom starve. I went to the grocery store this had all started at, and entered. I started grabbing food, but everything went wrong. Alarms were blaring almost as soon as I entered the store. When I tried to escape, the Batman was there to arrest me.

I was taken off to the same prison Father was staying in. We ate lunch together, and I found out that Artemis had no idea what he had tried to do, so they gave her a job as Green Arrow's protégé. They didn't know about me or Mom, but they would soon enough. The next day, I was taken in for interrogation.

Martian Manhunter sifted through my mind, taking what he needed and leaving me a wreck. They found out that I knew what Father was planning, and they sentenced us to the same fate. Lobotomization.

That night, Artemis appeared. She, using some of the Lord's technology, managed to get us out of prison. Thus began a nationwide search for us. Father and I tried to hide, to avoid the Lords, but within the week they had caught up to us.

We decided not to go without a fight, and were getting ready to attack the Lord's when Mom appeared. She forced me to run, to flee. Then she took my place. They arrested her and my father, believing her to be me.

The next day, I watched the sentence being carried out. Superman focused his laser eyes on my mother's forehead and burned through her brain. She screamed in agony and fell to the ground. My father fought back the pain and didn't let them see how it affected him. The two were carried off the stage when it was all over.

Superman turned to the crowd watching him. "This is the consequence of treason."

He flew away, and I never saw him again. Later, I found out that something had gone wrong with Mom's sentence. She had injured her spine and would never walk again.

I wanted vengeance, but I had to hide. I had to blend in, keep myself out of the public eye. Otherwise, Mom's sacrifice would be for nothing. I hid myself from other people, from anyone who could turn me in. And I hid myself from my sister.

I lost the apartment, because I didn't have any money to pay rent. I was alone, living in the street. Then I had an epiphany.

I remembered that in jail, Father said that if I got out, maybe I should go see his old friend Mr. Oak. Of course, Mr. Oak didn't really exist. That was what he had called an old tree in the park he had taken me to when I was younger. I returned to that park, and in the tree I found it.

It was a small laptop, with complete data on all known or suspected rebels throughout the world. I started contacting them, trying to get them to rally together, but they were too afraid. That is, until I met Red Arrow.

He understood that we had to do something. Only, he didn't have the resources I had. We worked together seamlessly, uniting the rebels into small groups in every major city around the world. We raised money to but hidden buildings where we would set up headquarters.

In each of the Rebel Headquarters I left a copy of the list Father had left me. We linked the lists wirelessly, with a little help from Red Arrow to make it so the Lords couldn't hack into it. Each list had a self-destruct button just in case. It was too valuable to allow the Lord's to even know it existed.

I offered a copy to Red Arrow, but he refused. He said that with the company he would be keeping it would be too dangerous for him to have it. Then he left.

So, once again, I was alone. I turned my hideout into a club, which I called Kryptonite. Hopefully it would steer Superman away, because if I ever saw him again, I would kill him. Rebels from Gotham and the surrounding area congregated there. I saw Red Arrow, though not as much. And I kept an eye on my sister. I saw her triumph as Green Arrow's sidekick, then leave after she found out about our parents. I wanted to contact her, but I knew I couldn't.

Then, I stumbled upon something strange. It was a secret long buried in Cadmus' database. Something about DNA, and mind control, and the Light. I was shocked by what I had found, and I knew that I had to do something about it. But I really needed to discuss my findings with someone else first. Someone who would know what to do.

I picked up the communicator that was linked to the Base and all the other Rebel headquarters. It was my only link to them.

"Red Arrow, it's Cheshire. We need to talk."

* * *

**So, I went a little crazy on this chapter. Final word count- 1911. That's at least twice my normal length. Everything I write from now on is going to feel really short in comparison to this. Oh well.**

**Happy National Chocolate Mint Day!**

**-Shadow**


	4. Cadmus

**The Path to Justice**

**Cadmus**

It didn't take much to hack into Cadmus' network. Nor did it take much to find what Cheshire had told me before. There was data, command sequences, memory files. My entire life, who I was, was laid out before me on a computer screen.

I banged against the wall angrily. How could they do this to me? To anyone? And to think, I had been living another guys life for years now. That really does something to you. I didn't fell like myself anymore. I felt like a broken arrow.

Behind me, Lightspeed was reading the information on the screen. "Dude, you're a clone!"

He backed away quickly, tripping over a chair in the process.

"Apparently so. But I don't feel like a clone. I feel real. This is who I am. But we have to do something!"

"Then let's go pick him up. It wouldn't take much to break into Cadmus, thwart all their security measures, take a high security prisoner and split."

"You make it sound so simple," I said sarcastically.

"But I know we can do it. Maybe he can help us. Maybe we can just all live in peace."

"And maybe he'll kill the guy who stole his life."

"Maybe, but you can always hope for the best!"

And so it was decided. Latter that night, we broke into Cadmus, did a little hacking to bypass their security, and found themselves face to face with Roy Harper.

He was kept in a cryogenic tube, the cold leaking out. A few keystrokes, and it started to defrost. It took a while, but soon, an unconscious archer was on his way out of Cadmus, and into the light of day for the first time in years.

We took him into a room I had set aside for the hospital wing. I called in a favor, and soon Dr. Leslie Thompkins was at the Base, ready to help. She shoed us out of the room and went to work.

In the kitchen, Lightspeed and I sat, eating and joking like old times.

"So," he started. "What do we do now?"

"Wait."

* * *

**So, short chapter today, maybe to even out last chapter. Back at school today, still sick, though. Rara rant. Ruru join my forum. Roro life. See ya next time.**

**-Shadow**


	5. Artemis

**The Path to Justice**

**Artemis**

I froze.

Dad tried to pull me away, to get us out of there, but I froze.

And now we were being arrested. I didn't really know why, we were just going to get my sister a present for her birthday. At leas that 's what Father told me, and he didn't have any reason to lie.

They pulled me over to the Martian, and his eyes changed color. Then I could feel him in my mind, pressing against my memories, reading them, living them. He seemed to find what he wanted, and then he was gone.

Dad was subjected to the same treatment, then shoved roughly into a police van.

"Dad!" I yelled, trying to climb over the superheroes holding me back.

Instead, I was placed in a green bubble and flown to a telephone booth. Batman disappeared into it with at flash of light, and then I was shoved in afterwards. A computerized voice was heard, announcing to all our arrival.

"Let me go!" I screamed, fighting against the heroes.

They obliged, and I fell to the ground. Green Arrow walked up to me and held out a hand, trying to help me up. I refused.

"It's all right, no one's going to hurt you," he said.

"Why should I believe you?" I replied hatefully. "Where's my dad? Is he okay? What did you do to him?"

"He's going to prison for treason. He'll have a trial and be sentenced," Superman said.

"You would be too, but seeing as you knew nothing of the plot, we're giving you a temporary reprieve," Green Arrow said. "But here's the thing. You're still going to jail, unless you agree to work with me."

"Work with you?" I said, hardly believing what I was hearing.

"You've got moves, kid, and I happen to be short a mini-archer. Think of it as community service."

"If I work with you, will you let my dad go?"

Green Arrow sighed. "Sorry kid. No can do. He did some seriously bad stuff. You're lucky we're giving you a chance to stay out of jail, don't blow it."

A plan started formulating in my mind. It mind land me in deep poo, but it would be worth it if I could save my family. "Fine. I'll be your partner."

Green Arrow nodded, happy. He took me to his mansion, trained me to be his sidekick. I appeared with him at UN meetings, televised speeches, and on patrol around the world. I helped enforce the laws I hated.

Then Jade was captured. She was trying to rob a grocery store to keep Mom from starving. She could have gotten away, but she was too weak from lack of food. They found out who she was, and sent her to jail, charged with treason.

And then they were sentenced. My heart fell. I had to act, to go with the plan, but would it work? Could I save them both?

Then Kid Flash disappeared. Green Arrow took me to Mt. Justice. There, the other sidekicks were training together while the Lords tried to find him. I saw my chance. I enacted the plan.

It took every bit of hacking knowledge I had, but I was able to put the cameras at the prison on a loop, deactivate the control collars, and cause all the doors in the place to open at once. I rescued Dad and Jade in the confusion.

They ran, and I returned to the Mountain. No one had noticed my absence. I monitored the search for Jade and Dad while making friends with the others. Soon enough, they were caught.

The night before their sentence was carried out, I went to the prison. I had to talk to them before they were torn from me forever. But I couldn't have expected what I saw.

"Mom?" I said shakily.

"Shh, Artemis. We can't let them know. I am Jade," she replied.

"What are you doing? You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I am here, so your sister doesn't have to be. I have lived a long life. I would rather die than see either of my daughters hurt."

"Mom," I pressed my head against the bars separating us. "Don't do this."

"Would you rather it be Jade?"

"No! Of course not! But, I can't loose you!"

"I'm sorry Artemis. I'm giving you and your sister all I can. Please forgive me."

She turned away, leaving me alone.

"Mom," I cried. "No."

I didn't feel like talking to Dad after that. It was just too much. I went back to Ollie's mansion and begged with him to spare my family. To lighten their sentence at least. But it was out of his hands.

She was forced to go to the lobotomization. She stood with the Lords as Superman essentially killed her parents. It made her sick.

The next day, she was gone. She left as soon as she could get out without anyone noticing. Of course, they searched for her, but after training with her father and the Lords, she knew how to avoid capture.

She travelled around, looking for her sister. She avoided Gotham, that would be where they concentrated their search. She travelled to California, hung out on the beaches, and trained on the waves. She went to Colorado and climbed the mountains. She went to Maine and started being a real hero.

She took on a new guise, it wouldn't do if she was caught on camera and the Lords saw what she was doing. She became a vigilante, a rebel. She broke into prisons and freed the people there. She stole food and money and gave it to those who couldn't find work. And soon she became a wanted criminal.

It was thrilling.

She was travelling across the country when she came across two red haired guys at a restaurant. They looked familiar, and she was halfway through her salad when she realized why.

It was Kid Flash and Speedy. She calmly finished her salad, then walked over.

"Hey guys," she said, smiling.

They looked confused. Kid Flash sent her a smile and a wink. "Hey babe."

"Do we know you?" Speedy asked.

"Yeah, I worked with Ollie for a while," she said.

The two paled. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, I just got out of a bad gig and I'm looking for some new friends to help me out."

"You're not working with them anymore?" Kid Flash asked.

I shook my head. "Nope."

"If you're serious, meet us at this address later tonight," Speedy said, handing me a scrap of paper.

I nodded and paid for my meal. That night, I went to the address in my new costume and found no one.

"I should've known this would be a waste of time," I muttered.

"Au contraire," someone said behind me.

I turned quickly, knocking an arrow. "Who's there?"

"Chill, beautiful. We're just here to talk."

Someone ran up to me. He was wearing a suit that looked like a dark version of Kid Flash's. "KF?"

He laughed. "Yeah, but call me Lightspeed. And what do I call you?"

"Tigress."

"Nice to meet ya. How about I take you back to our base where we can really talk?"

"You trust me?"

"No, but Red Arrow scanned you for bugs while we were talking and says you're clean."

I turned to discover Speedy behind me. "Red Arrow?"

He shrugged. "I like it."

"Well, then let's get going," I said.

I turned around and walked away. Behind me, I heard Red Arrow lightly punch Lightspeed in the arm.

"Now that's a spitfire if I ever saw one."

* * *

**Happy Saturday! I'm up at a decent time today, so I decided to post this for y'all. Enjoy your weekend :)**

**-Shadow**


	6. Zatanna

**The Path to Justice**

**Zatanna**

After Artemis disappeared, I noticed something was wrong. Everyone was worried, of course, but no one was surprised. I tried asking them what was going on, but everyone was ignoring the facts. Even Miss Martian, who had been Artemis' best friend while she was here didn't want to talk about it.

I started snooping around, trying to understand what had happened. Batman seemed to notice and had all the sidekicks go on a mission with the Lords to try and distract us.

It was there that I lost my father.

Klarion was attacking furiously with a group of villains who called themselves the Injustice Lords. The Lords could have handled it, we had enough firepower, but Klarion was too much for me and Dad to take. He was beating us back, and Dad said something about plan B. He opened a small pocket in space we used to store things, and pulled out the Helmet of Fate.

I screamed at him to put it away, but he didn't listen. He put the Helmet on, and became Dr. Fate. We won without any trouble after that. When the battle was done, Dr. Fate refused to release Dad. He said that the would was in need of Order, and he would see that it was done.

My life changed drastically after that. I moved into Mt. Justice with Miss Martian and Superboy. There, we got along fine, and I was enrolled at Happy Harbor High School.

There, I had to get used to being around other teenagers. I had been homeschooled all my life, and let's just say, it was a big change. And it was weird. I had always imagined it to be loud and full of life. Instead, I found everyone in the school was subdued. They stayed in clusters, not talking to anyone outside their immediate groups of friends. Everyone looked at each other with a slight air of suspicion. Instead of posters for clubs and events on the walls, there were posters of members of the Lords, reminding them to follow the rules and other such stuff.

I didn't understand why everyone acted so suspicious, until I saw a group of teens being arrested. Later, I used the Lords computer to find out why. Apparently, a student informant on campus had said that they were planning a rave, which led to their arrest. They would be sent to a correctional facility for a few months to try and get them to follow the laws set down by the school and the Lords.

I was shocked. I didn't know any of this was happening. I assumed that everyone was happy now that they had the Justice Lords to protect them, but all I saw was suspicion and rebellion.

That really got me thinking. Why was I here? My Dad had become Dr. Fate. He didn't even look at me anymore. I had no one.

Miss Martian disappeared. The Lords banished her from the Earth for treason. She apparently had lied to them all.

I continued to go to Happy Harbor High School, and I trained myself in the mystic arts. It wasn't until several months later that I got a chance to leave. I had just gone to school when I saw a familiar head of blonde hair standing outside the door.

I walked up to her. "Artemis?"

"Hey there, Z."

I hugged her. "We thought you were dead!"

"Nope, just staying traught."

"What are you doing here? We need to tell the others, they'll be ecstatic."

"Sorry, but we can't."

"Why not?"

"I left them, Z. I'm working with a group of undercover rebels. Haven't you noticed that everyone's depressed? No one cares anymore. All they do is try to keep from getting arrested."

"So, it's not like we can do anything about it."

"But there is. Come with me. Speedy and KF are there too. We're going to take down the Lords and save the world."

"You really think you can do it?"

"I know we can."

* * *

**So, next time we'll find out what happens to Miss M. Have fun until then, and remember to never eat green and red flashing strawberries.**

**-Shadow**


	7. Miss Martian

**The Path to Justice**

**Miss Martian**

I sighed as I fell onto my bed. It had been a long day. I let my skin fall into its normal shade of green. It took a little concentration, seeing as it wasn't my true color, but no one knew that. I had to keep up the façade.

I never wanted to lie about my life, but I couldn't stay in a place where everyone thought I was inferior. White Martians were a peaceful people, and even though we were considered a lower class, we didn't mind. We just wanted to help make the world a better place.

On Mars, I had been a servant. I worked at the house of a prominent Green Martian. I wasn't happy, but I was all right. I worked so that my family would be granted a larger amount of food and services each month. But it was not a fun job.

When J'onn J'onzz brought the first videos and information back from Earth, I was hooked. I saw it as a wonderful place, where everyone was free to do as they chose. I slacked off on my work, and daydreamed constantly about going to Earth. I even practiced shape shifting so if I ever went, I would blend in.

A few months later, I found out that the Martian Manhunter was my uncle, a few times removed. I was ecstatic when I found out. I thought that maybe I could go to Earth. I tried asking him on his next trip to Mars, but he ignored me because of my color.

So I shape shifted into the form I had been practicing, a young girl with red hair, freckles, and a costume that resembled Martian Manhunter's. There was one slight change, though. I changed my skin from a pure white to a green tint.

That night, right before he left, I stowed away on his ship. I was going to Earth. I revealed myself after we had passed the Earth's moon, and introduced myself as his niece. He never questioned my color. He welcomed me with open arms. Finally, I was happy.

I lay back on my bed. It didn't make up for the fact that I was lying. Troubled, I decided to go to the kitchen and make some cookies.

An alarmed blared through the Mountain. Myself, Zatanna and Superboy, who were currently living here with me, rushed into the mission room to find a few Lords waiting for us.

Uncle J'onn stepped forwards. "We have found the location of several rebel enemies. Miss Martian, you shall come with me after Psimon. Superboy will go with Superman. Zatanna shall stay here."

We left directly after that. I was so excited to be going with him on this mission. But not all was sunshine and roses.

Psimon was where we thought he was, and he was expecting us. He forced himself into our minds, transforming us into our true selves. We defeated him, and sent him to Belle Reve, but I had lost my cover.

I had shifted back into my superhero form, and stood waiting for Martian Manhunter to talk to me.

"You have betrayed my trust," he said.

"No, I didn't. You never asked about my color," I replied.

"You took on the guise of a Green Martian to get here. That is a lie. It will not be tolerated here, or back on Mars."

"Please," I stammered out. "Don't make me go back there."

"I must. You have committed treason by attempting to pass yourself as a Green Martian. You will be taken back to Mars so the Council can decide on your sentence."

"You know there is only one sentence for treason."

"You will be executed. It is just."

"No, it's wrong. I'm no less than you, and I just wanted to see Earth!"

"You are less. You are White."

I ran. I ran as far away as I could. I sent my Bioship, a gift from Martian Manhunter, to rest in the deepest part of the ocean. I didn't know where to go. I changed into a human form, something completely different than the girl I had posed as before. I blended into society as best I could.

The Lords put out a warrant for my arrest. They searched for me. I had to shield my mind from the psychic search Martian Manhunter was undergoing. It was difficult, and the effort sometimes tired me out for days, but I was hidden.

I missed my friends. I went back to Happy Harbor, hoping to at least see them. As it turned out, I got there at the perfect time. I saw Zatanna talking to Artemis. I couldn't believe she was back. I calmly walked up and caught the end of their conversation.

"I left them, Z," Artemis was saying. "I'm working with a group of undercover rebels. Haven't you noticed that everyone's depressed? No one cares anymore. All they do is try to keep from getting arrested."

"So, it's not like we can do anything about it," Zatanna responded.

"But there is. Come with me. Speedy and KF are there too. We're going to take down the Lords and save the world."

"You really think you can do it?"

"I know we can."

"I agree," I said, walking over, shifting my form into the Miss Martian they knew.

"Megan!" Zatanna and Artemis said.

"Hey guys, I missed you," I replied, hugging them.

"What happened? You just disappeared, and the Lords said that they wanted to arrest you," Zatanna asked.

"I'm a White Martian. I'm considered inferior at home, and the Lords weren't happy when they found out," I said. "Artemis, can I come with you?"

"Of course, Miss Martian. We'd be happy to have you," Artemis replied.

"Thanks, but don't call me that anymore. I chose that name because I had faith in Martian Manhunter and the people of Earth. My faith is gone now. I'm just a Ghost."

* * *

**And here's Miss Martian's story. Next up, Aqualad. See ya then.**

**-Shadow**


	8. Aqualad

**The Path to Justice**

**Aqualad**

I swam through Atlantis, watching the people around me. They seemed… sad. But why were they sad? Atlantis was now and forever safe from harm.

I continued into the palace where my king awaited my return. I knew we were going back to the surface world today, and a few months ago I would be glad. All I felt now was sadness.

"Kaldur A'hm!" Orin said, welcoming me. "You seem sad, what's wrong?'

"My king," I said, bowing my head. "I am curious. The people of Atlantis are saddened by something. I wish to help them."

"They are saddened by the new laws we have put in place. But do not worry, they will soon adjust."

We looked out over Atlantis. I did not thing the people would adjust as easily as Orin believed, but I said nothing. I had faith that my king would do what was right for Atlantis.

We went to the surface for a meeting with the Justice Lords. I was left with other sidekicks, and filled in on how they had been disappearing. It was hard to comprehend, but they believed a criminal mastermind known as Red Arrow was orchestrating the whole thing.

I was surprised that my king had not told me this. Of course, lately he had not been telling me much, but every time someone told me something he had kept from me, I was slightly hurt by it.

But still I followed him. The next day, we returned to Atlantis. That afternoon there was an attack by the dreaded Black Manta. He had attacked Atlantis numerous times, always accusing King Orin of stealing his son. I did not know who this son is, but I believe my king would never steal him.

It was the first time King Orin had allowed me to fight with him against Black Manta. He had always told me I was not ready, even though I believed I was. The Queen used sorcery to open the doors of Manta's ship, and we swam in. I took out a group of soldiers when we entered, and my king took out more as we went through the ship.

Finally, at the control center, we found Black Manta. He attacked King Orin viciously; he did not seem to notice I was there. I fought off several soldiers who tried to enter and protect Manta. He had knocked out my king when I managed electrocute him. His armor was not prepared for the shock and all mechanisms in it shut down. He fell to the ground.

"Kaldur?" he said through the mask.

"I was confused. How did he know my name? I had never met the man before.

"Kaldur, take off my mask," he said.

I pulled the black mask off, and saw a face similar to my own. It was older, wiser, and full of pain.

"Kaldur, I never thought I'd see you again," he said, smiling.

"How do you know my name?" I asked angrily, but somehow, I already knew.

"Kaldur, I am your-" his voice cut off.

I turned to see King Orin standing behind me, a vicious glare on his face. He walked over to Black Manta and kicked him in the head, rendering him unconscious.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"He said you stole his son. I am his son, am I not?"

"Yes. But he did not deserve you. I took you in as my own so you would have a better life."

"You took me from my family, then you lied to me about them. How can I trust you when you do not tell me the truth?"

"We'll talk about this later," Orin said, turning to leave.

I stood, angry with him. "No, we will talk about this now."

"Kaldur, as your king, I command you to-"

"You command nothing!"

He stood shocked at my outburst. All I felt was anger and betrayal.

"I have lived and trained with you for years. You should trust me enough to tell me the truth. And I should be brave enough to tell you when you are not doing as you should. Atlantis is not going to thrive under these new laws. We wish to help our neighbors, the surface dwellers. We are being oppressed."

"Kaldur Ah'm, I warn you, you speak out of turn."

"I no longer care. I have been loyal to you, but now I see where my true loyalties lie. I am loyal to Atlantis, not its dictator."

I walked out of the ship. I would have to rescue my father later, because attempting to save him now would not be a wise move. I packed my things at the palace and went to the surface world. I was not surprised when I was met by a young man with bright red hair.

"We've been expecting you, Aqualad."

I recoiled at the name. I could no longer be associated with one I did not trust. But I did not know what to call myself. All I could focus on was the tempest of anger inside myself.

"It is nice to meet you Red Arrow," I replied. "And please, it's Tempest."

* * *

**Writing in a formal tone of voice throughout this caused me pain, and I hope Aqualad isn't too OOC. Next time, Superboy! We're almost done with this, so see ya soon.**

**-Shadow**


	9. Superboy

**The Path to Justice**

**Superboy**

She had been there for me ever since I burst out of my pod at Cadmus. She had helped me through coming to terms with what I was. She had explained how humans interacted socially. She introduced me to Superman.

And now she was gone.

I wandered the Mountain, alone. Everyone else had a family to go to. I had no one. Even Superman, who was supposed to be my mentor, my friend, my father, couldn't bear to be near me.

But I couldn't help but be near him. I would sneak out of the Mountain to watch him fly around Metropolis. I had a secret collection of newscasts and press conferences that he was in. I would watch them over and over, trying to get to know the man behind the cape.

Miss Martian had been my only friend since I was released from Cadmus. She was the only one I had to talk to.

Now, I was truly alone. Sometimes, the Lords would stop by to check on me, but they didn't really care. I had stopped going to school and no one noticed. I stopped training and they didn't notice. I started eating nothing but donuts and soda and no one said a word.

I started branching out, trying to find something, anything to do. I got in touch with some guy called Lightspeed. We talked over the Internet, where he comforted me, encouraged me, and talked to me. He became my friend.

He told me about how the world was outside the Mountain. He showed me videos and documents the Lords hid from the rest of the world. They were destroying the people of Earth slowly, but surely.

But I didn't believe him. Superman stood justice and liberty. He wouldn't be caught up in some crazy destroy the world scheme. I stopped talking to Lightspeed. And once again, I was alone.

I started venturing out of the Mountain. I saw what Lightspeed had said was going on. Yet still, I didn't believe it was as bad as he had said.

I went to Metropolis and saw the same thing happening there. Confused and slightly hurt, I stood on the top of a building and yelled for Superman. He appeared, an angry scowl on his face.

"Superboy, you know I'm busy."

"Sorry," I replied, "I just wanted to talk to you."

Superman's scowl deepened. "I've got too much to do to stand around talking to you. If you want someone to talk to, try Black Canary, or Batman."

"But-"

"No buts. Go home now."

Superman turned to leave, but I stood firm. "No."

"Excuse me?"

"No. I'm tired of being treated like dirt by you. I'm they closest thing you'll ever have to a blood relation, and you toss me aside."

"Superboy, you're out of line."

"You know what, I don't care anymore."

I left to return to the Mountain. I emailed Lightspeed and asked if he knew somewhere I could go. He responded quickly and told me to hold tight, help would be there soon.

I didn't have to wait long. Soon, a knock was heard at the door. I opened it, and Miss Martian entered. Only, she had white skin instead of green.

"M'gann!" I said. I had missed her so much.

"Hey Connor. Ready to go?"

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere better. We're going to change the world, Connor."

I took her hand, and she took me away.

**So, there's Superboy. Hope you enjoyed it, Rocket's next. We only have two more chapters.**

**-Shadow**


	10. Rocket

**The Path to Justice**

**Rocket**

I ran through the hallways of Reach labs. I couldn't let him destroy everything we had worked to create! It was too important to the world.

"Mr. Freeman! Stop!" I yelled, running into the room.

"I'm sorry Raquel, but I can't let the Lords get this. It's too powerful," he replied.

"Well, can't you at least sleep on it? You don't have to decide right now."

He sighed. "Fine. I will sleep on it, though I doubt it will change my mind."

I breathed a sigh of relief. That would give me plenty of time. I left the building, ready to go home. I got on the train and managed to find a seat. It was always busy this time of day. Everyone worked later nowadays, in order to have enough money to eat and pay rent. You couldn't be late on any bills if you wanted to stay out of jail.

I lived in a small ghetto of Orlando. There, most of the people had been arrested due to 'questionable activities'. I had been one of the lucky ones. The streets were still dirty, and there were a few too many mouths to feed, but at least they hadn't been sent to jail, or worse.

I had been placed at a job working at Reach labs, and there had found something I really enjoyed. Mr. Freeman had invented a belt that allowed the user to control kinetic energy. I had been the one to help him test its strengths and weaknesses.

Now I was the only one who could stop it from being destroyed. I knew I couldn't let the Justice Lords get it; they would just use it to enslave another human as one of their rapidly disappearing sidekicks. But I could keep it safe, maybe even use it to start a rebellion.

That night, I thanked the fact that once I'd been a thief. I was able to sneak past security, into the lab and grab the belt. From there it was easy to sneak it out.

_Sorry Mr. Freeman. I can't let you destroy everything we've worked so hard to make. _I thought as I slipped away from the building.

That night, I ran away. Stealing was not permitted, and all thieves were sent to jail. That might not sound so bad, but I had heard the rumors. The jails were workhouses for the Lords. You'd go in them, and serve out your sentence creating weapons for them to use. And that was one of the nice rumors.

Personally, I tended to believe the others. That they were attempting to make more of their own. More people with superpowers. They had found some sort of gene in some people that when expressed caused them to exhibit weird abilities.

If they could do that, they could rule the world for hundreds, if not thousands of years. And no one would be able to stop them.

I hopped on a train towards New York. Maybe there I could find someone, anyone who would be willing to rebel. I got a job there working at a small café.

But that wasn't enough for me. At night, I dressed up in a costume, put on the belt, and went around training as best I could. I stopped a few policemen from putting people in jail, but i was careful to remain under the Lords radar.

That's how my life went for a while, waitress by day, hero by night.

I went to the café after a rough night of heroing. That was the first time I saw him. He was a black guy, with the strangest head of blonde hair. He was hot. He acted gloomy and depressed like everyone else, always staring out to sea. But there was something different about him. He seemed stronger, like he was putting on an act.

I watched him as day after day he came into the café, and always ordered the same thing. A cup of herbal tea with lemon. I walked up with his drink one day, and decided to try and talk to him.

"Hey there, how are you?" I said, forcing myself to smile.

"I am fine," he replied, pulling on the act.

But I saw the look in his eye. I had piqued his interest. The next day, he brought a friend in with him. A guy with red hair.

"Can I help you?" I asked, walking up to take their order.

"A cup of tea, please," the blonde one said.

"Coffee, black," his friend replied.

I grabbed their drinks, and they invited me to sit with them. "What's this all about?"

"I am Kaldur, this is Roy. We are curious about you," Kaldur started.

"I've heard rumors of a young woman trying to be a rebel around here recently," Roy said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I replied, worried. What if they guessed who I was?

I left the table, making some excuse about having to get back to work. That night, I went out again as my hero persona. This time, I was caught.

The police began hauling me into the back of their truck when they were stopped by two figures. Arrows and water flew, and soon I was free.

I stared at the two figures, partially obscured in the dark. "Kaldur? Roy?"

"Hello, Raquel," Kaldur said. "Do not be alarmed, we are here to help you."

"How?" I asked.

"We're part of a group of rebels, we thought you might want in," Roy replied.

I stood, shocked. Finally, I had found someone who could help me save the world. "I'm in."

"Good, we need all the help we can get."

* * *

**Only one more chapter, and I'll be done. I don't think there's anything else I can do with this story, but if you have suggestions, let me know. **

**-Shadow**


	11. The Plan

**The Path to Justice**

**The Plan**

I looked at my new recruits. Lightspeed. Ghost. Tempest. Powerboy. Arsenal. Tigress. Sorceress. Rocket.

We were all rebels, hurt by the Justice Lords. We were now a team, a family. We would protect each other at all costs.

But this couldn't last forever. At least, not without a plan. And that was what we were here to discuss.

"We need to work on our game plan," I started. "We can attempt to rebel as long as we want, but soon the Lords will replace us, and they will become stronger than ever."

"We can't take them all at once, it would be a suicide mission," Tigress said.

"And how do we take out Superman? His only weakness is Kryptonite, and I don't think we have any," Rocket added.

"Have you thought through this at all?" Arsenal asked, forever the pessimist.

"I have thought it through, and I see only one way. We need Robin," I said.

Everyone looked at me, shocked.

"Dude, I love Rob and all, but he's a bat! They aren't going to split up with the emotional trauma and all," Lightspeed said.

"I think he will. Batman keeps him in a protective bubble. He doesn't really know what's going on. But I know his sense of justice is stronger than his family bonds. He'll leave, we just have to give it to him straight," I replied.

"So we are going to kidnap him? Are we not against this?" Tempest asked.

"We haven't kidnapped anyone before," Ghost said.

"We'll do what's necessary," Powerboy stated.

"We aren't going to kidnap him," I broke in. "We're going to borrow him. The scientists down at the lab have created a pill that causes amnesia. We'll take him, show him what's going on, and return him if he doesn't want to join."

"Are you sure that'll work?" Sorceress asked.

"Absolutely."

"Then we are in agreement," Tempest said.

Everyone nodded, then started drifting away to work on other things. I stood, alone. I pulled open the computer and started typing a message.

_The Justice Lords-_

_I am Red Arrow. I am going to kidnap Robin. There is no where you can hide him that I can't find him. I am the one who has kidnapped your sidekicks, and he'll be the topper on my collection. If you want, I'll be happy to send you photos and videos of his demise._

_-Red Arrow_

I sent the message to the Justice Lords using a fake email address. They wouldn't be able to find out who I was, but it should be enough to scare them.

They would move Robin to a secure location, where we would be waiting. He would join us and help us defeat the Lords.

We were going to save the world.

* * *

**This is the end. I've been working on this series for so long I don't know what to do now. I'm starting a couple new stories, ending a few. The next month is going to be a bit strange as I figure out what I want to write. See ya next time.**

******Also, if you wish to flame me, please use your account. I'd love to be able to respond and talk to you privately to see what I can work on and do better. I'll be posting a copy of this message on all my stories, so I hope it doesn't bother anyone.**

**-Shadow**


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